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This invention relates to freehand drawing tools, specifically to an improved device for training and guiding aspirant and accomplished artists to produce accurate freehand drawings. The device facilitates the technique of viewing a subject juxtaposed to a reference grid and drawing a corresponding image juxtaposed to a proportionally identical grid on a drawing surface. The technique helps artists to visualize three dimensional form, proportion, and perspective as two-dimensional shapes, and then accurately draw the two-dimensional shapes. Also, the technique is used to copy two dimensional drawings and photographs.
The effectiveness of the sighting grid device as a drawing tool is strongly supported by historical evidence that reveals that renowned masters of drawing such as Leonardo da Vinci (1452-1519), Albrecht Durer (1471-1528 Vincent Van Gogh (1853-1890), and Edgar Degas (1834-1917) used sighting grid devices.
However, a universal shortcoming of the sighting grid devices, which were used by the masters of drawing mentioned above, and the numerous devices that have been invented and patented as improvements to the sighting grid device, is the absence of a practical means of putting a representation of the sighting grid on the artist""s drawing surface. Drawing a grid is time consuming especially when done in a precise manner. Almost all devices, with a few exceptions, either do not address the issue or simply suggest that a grid be drawn on the artist""s drawing surface. U.S. Pat. No. 0,228,273 to William B. O. Peabody (1880) is a device that uses a mat with ruled markings that serves to guide an artist in drawing a grid in a precise manner on his or her drawing surface, but it does not negate the effort required to draw the grid each time a drawing is started. U.S. Pat. No. 3,086,296 to E. V. Bergstrom (1963) proposed that a grid be pre-printed on special paper made for use with the patented viewing device. The obvious problem with any drawing produced on preprinted grid paper is that the grid is indelible and will remain visible in the artwork with perhaps the exception of a painting done with opaque paints. Once the grid has served its useful purpose, it should be removed so as not to detract from the drawing itself. U.S. Pat. No. 0,2282,273 to William B. O. Peabody (1880) proposed drawing the grid onto the artist""s drawing surface with a charcoal pencil that could easily be wiped away when the artist no longer needed the grid to aid in drawing. The drawbacks to this approach are that the drawing of a line requires pressure to be applied to the drawing surface, which makes the complete removal of the grid difficult, and time and effort are required to draw a grid onto the artist""s drawing surface before freehand drawing can commence. The process of drawing a grid on a drawing surface is not practical for a device intended to train its users to draw, because student artists will want to be sketching quickly and repeatedly. The student will find having to draw a grid before starting each sketch to be both inconvenient and time consuming. The recreational artist, who draws for pleasure, is intent on drawing subjects, not on drawing grids. Prior art has attempted to solve this problem. U.S. Pat. No. 2,472,148 to Anthony A. D""Orazi (1949) uses two complementary sheets, one for viewing a subject and one for guiding line-work on the artist""s drawing surface. The sheets have areas cut out with sheet material remaining between the cut outs that become narrow connectors. The connectors are marked with centerlines and subdivision marks. The difficulty in using this device is that the artist is unable to draw fluid lines because the connecting portion of the sheet interrupts the artist""s line-work each time the lines cross the sheet material.
When viewing a drawing subject through a sighting grid plate, the artist must always view the subject from the same viewpoint. Some of the existing viewing grid devices include a sight or eyepiece on which the artist can rely to maintain a constant viewpoint. U.S. Pat. No. 1,821,252 to Ruben E. Woods (1931) is an example. Although the sight or eyepiece will ensure that the artist is viewing from the same viewpoint, looking through a sight or eyepiece is not conducive to oscillating visual focus between the drawing subject and the drawing surface. Another approach to ensuring that the artist can return to the original viewpoint is a feature of U.S. Pat. No. 1,992,083 to J. J. McDonald (1935), which uses special markers that are strategically placed on the grid at points that correspond to significant points on the subject being viewed through the view-sheet. Placing the markers on the grid is necessary because the grid is formed by a series of wires stretched across the frame. McDonald suggests that certain grid lines on the view-sheet can be given particular markings and can be lined up with particular parts of a subject being viewed, so that the original alignment can be accurately repositioned at any time. This means of recording the original viewpoint requires that the grid be positioned for purposes other than the artist""s preferred composition of the drawing. Another way an artist can document a viewpoint is by developing a drawing to the point where the relationship of the subject to the grid is clearly represented. Relying on the artist""s drawing to record the original viewpoint requires that the artist draw a certain amount of the subject on his or her drawing surface before moving freely. This method of recording the artist""s view point does not provide the artist with confirmation that he or she is in position when looking at a subject through a sighting grid plate, which is the critical time for conformation of the artist""s position.
An essential element of a sighting grid device is the support of the sighting grid. The measure of the effectiveness of the support is the flexibility with which the sighting grid can be positioned and the versatility of the support in terms of where it can be mounted. At the same time, the support must be capable of keeping the sighting grid in a constant position. Prior art shows varying degrees of success accomplishing these three performance criteria, but all prior art leaves opportunity for improvement. A commercially available device that uses the grid as a drawing tool is xe2x80x9cThe Durer Gridxe2x80x9d. The Durer Grid is a 40xe2x80x3xc3x9740xe2x80x3 grid set in a wooden frame and stand that can be extended to a height of six feet. This product is a studio floor model, not a portable device. xe2x80x9cThe Durer Gridxe2x80x9d appears to be based on U.S. Pat. No. 4,798,537 to Perry N. Ragouzis. Another tool, U.S. Pat. No. 3,086,296 to E. V. Bergstrom (1963) uses a bendable member to hold the viewer in position. The device has positioning flexibility that makes it useful. However, when subjected to repeated bending, the copper tubing that is used for the bendable arm will break due to the deterioration of the metal.
There is a tendency for an artist to experience disorientation when viewing a subject through a sighting grid plate. Since the grid simplifies a subject by dividing it into smaller less complex parts, the artist using the grid is focused on the parts, not on the whole subject. A homo-genius grid does not provide any orienting references. U.S. Pat. No. 3,086,296, to E. V. Bergstrom (1963) addresses the disorientation experienced when viewing a subject with a sighting grid by creating a system of matching indica in the form of dots to be placed on the viewer and on the drawing paper. The dots orient the artist to certain focal points but they are not necessarily effective in orienting the artist to an entire field. And, there may not be focal points that warrant special emphasis or attention from the artist.
In accordance with the present invention, a Freehand Drawing Training and Guiding Device comprises a series of sighting grid plates, through which the subject to be drawn is viewed; a series of grid transfer stencils, which are used to superimpose a similar grid on the artist""s drawing surface; a means of supporting the sighting grid plates in position for viewing by the artist; and a means of applying a color contrasting substance to the artist""s drawing surface through the holes in the grid transfer stencils. The device can be used to accurately draw a real life subject, or a photograph, or a drawing.
Accordingly, besides the objects and advantages of the drawing device described in my above patent, several objects and advantages of the present invention are:
a. to provide a device that is an ideal viewfinder for composing drawings;
b. to provide a device that facilitates viewing a subject juxtaposed to a reference grid, which sub-divides the subject into sections that are less complex than the scene in its entirety, and facilitates drawing a corresponding image identically juxtaposed to a grid of equal proportion on a drawing surface;
c. to provide a device that can be positioned to suit the ergonomic requirements of the artist, and that is capable of remaining in position for the duration of time demanded by the artist, and that is flexible with regard to the variety of things to which it can be mounted;
d. to provide a device that allows the user to effortlessly reposition himself or herself on an original viewpoint after having moved around naturally when not sighting through the grid;
e. to provide a device that is designed to balance the benefits of subdividing the scene into simplified sections and maintaining orientation to the whole;
f. to provide a device with which a representation of the sighting grid is applied to the artist""s drawing surface so that virtually no time or effort is required to prepare to draw with the aid of the device;
g. to provide a device that allows the grid that is applied to the artist""s drawing surface to be completely removed after it has served its purpose so that the grid does not detract from the drawing itself;
h. to provide a device that allows the artist to choose the size of his or her drawing;
i. to provide a device that is portable and that can be assembled into one unit for storage.
Still further objects and advantages will become apparent from a consideration of the ensuing description and drawings.